Windows Vista

Proof that some will choose form over function

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Ah... Windows Vista, a visually stimulating GUI indeed, with semitransparent window borders, Light reflecting Icons, a slew of color choices (with the ability to choose any color if you weren't pleased with the preselected choices) for the overall theme, smoother transitions between actions, and all wrapped up nicely in it's 64-bit brilliance...

Once we get past the "pretty factor" though thats when things kind of go to hell from there sadly. The actual functioning quality of this relatively new operating system is filled with more bugs than I'd like to count, or Microsoft would like to count for that matter apparently as they have spent so much on advertising the failing OS that could have been used to actually fix it. These factors in mind, it would be unfair of me to say that Microsoft hasn't gotten rid of quite a few bugs since Vistas launch because they have but there is still a long way to go before it's worth the $199.95 price tag it comes with.

Speaking from experience, Windows Vista is bearable at the very least and for the most part (if you know your way around computers) you can make it work for you, but you will run into errors caused my the bugs that you paid for. Another flaw is that in some cases even though you are the sole user you may not be recognized as having administrative rights which can be in some cases be almost impossible to work around.

As far as choosing Vista for it's Appearance alone, Windows XP has Vista lookalike themes and skins not to mention skins that in my opinion look even better than Vistas GUI. In fact let's look at some examples.

Vista's GUI

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Vista Lookalike XP Skin

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XP Concave skin

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All in all if you have no interest in doing a lot with a computer, have money to blow, and want a sleek look (that you can get in XP also) to cover up the mediocre OS you just bought, Vista is right up your ally.

Windows XP: Microsoft's Love-child

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People know it, people love it, and some finally got the hang of it. Windows XP, the operating system that has been used by the better part of the computer world for the last few years. The older, wiser brother of Vista, less potential, but old enough to be able to stand against the errors computers come against. Well, good enough anyway. But where it shines is it's gaming capabilities. Oh the visuals this OS can render, without the headache inducing bugs in Vista. Truly this is the operating system of the gamer with graphics on the mind.

Not to mention that if you're familiar with the Windows setup then you will likely not want to rock the boat with a foreign operating system like Linux or Mac, considering you feel like a pro and why would you want to go back to trying to figure out how to change your background again. No, XP is quite the rock upon which those who use computers have built upon. I know when I attempted to use Mac or Linux for the first time I felt frustrated, shaken, and ultimately beaten, but in the end, now that I feel relatively at ease when faced with a monitor with any of these three operating systems, I know that pushing past what is comfortable will only help you in the end.

But again, the logical perk windows has to other operating systems is for Gamers. To give those who have not had the pleasure to play some games on windows with all the graphics set to their highest, here is some eye candy for you.

Fallout 3

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The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

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So as far as XP goes, it's great for games, more stable than Vista and is comfortable. But a fear of change can hold you back, especially in the computer world.

Ubuntu Linux

A dream of the free information exchange

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Linux redefines the word free to it's original meaning, with none of those pesky asterisks that so often plague the term. You can download the .iso file for the Live CD directly from the Ubuntu site, and if you don't happen to have the Internet available on your computer, you can go to your public library, go on the Ubuntu site, and request a free CD be shipped to your home. This is absolutely amazing, no S&H, no payment at all. And what's more is that almost every program for Linux, is open source and free of charge.
Ubuntu (like all Linux systems) is also built like a rock. It's one of the most stable systems that I have ever used, and while you can freely download virus sweepers, I don't really see why you would need to considering you would really have to try to acquire a virus for Linux. It is just as the picture states, safe, easy, and beautiful.

Sadly Linux loses it's luster when the idea of gaming comes up. This system for all its strengths has this very disappointing weakness, and is a big reason why it is not used as much. But, don't think it can't handle anything, Linux just can't run high end graphics, it can however run simpler things such as World of Warcraft™ as shown below.



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So don't count Linux out because on account of game play completely. Linux also is very customizable internally and externally. A few beautiful examples of it's visual potential will now be shown.



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It's stable, safe, and free. It's hard to ask for more.

So there it is, my rundown on the systems. Personally I tend to prefer Linux over Windows, but that's just my preference.

The hardware that usually is installed in a computer is not always connected to the motherboard. These devices include things like the hard drive, mouse, keyboard, and the CD Rom drive. The hardware that is installed must be controlled by the operating system and how it does that is what is called the device manager. The device manager is the path between the operating system and the hardware. All hardware goes through the device manager but first it needs what is called a driver. The driver translates to the operating system as files and puts them in to storage components. Every piece of hardware that is attached to the computer will not run unless a driver is installed. The hardware that is used in computer takes memory to run it too.

There are different types of memory; main memory is the most important. What the operating system manages in main memory is to keep track of which part of the memory is being used and by whom. Decide which process is loaded in memory when memory space becomes available. Allocate and deallocate memory space as needed. Then there is secondary memory which is controlled by the operating system and is some type of disk for storage. Then we have cache memory which is used by the operating system through the fastest connection and usually is access to the internet. The other job that the operating system does is to control the input and output of the devices. I refer to this as a traffic cop and tell things which port to exit out of and to come in at. A special storage place takes a stream of bits from a device and releases them to the CPU at a rate it can handle. The operating system again controls the way that this is handled.

Real time operating systems are used to control machinery, scientific equipment, or industrial systems. This operating system is used for managing a particular operation the same time, every time without user interaction. Now single user-single task operating system is for just like it sounds. One user for one task such as a palm pad. Then we have the single user, multitask operating system and that is used like it sounds too. This is the most popular operating system that we have and is used on most computers. Then the last operating system is the multi-user operating system and an example of this would be a LAN network. Where multiuser use the resources simultaneously on the computer. The operating systems must control all the process so that is can work properly.

The last and most important thing that the operating system must do is to manage all the processes. An important thing to remember is that a process is not a program. A process is only one instant of a program in execution. Even though there are many process running the operating system must decide how it will handle the different processes. So as you can see the operating system is the most important part of the computer. From memory control down to the way that everything is processed, we could not do the computer without the operating system.

Firstly, you can simply make use of Window's tools. Most obviously, the desktop wallpaper is something that can easily be changed and has a ready-made gallery to select from. However, you can easily look beyond this, by browsing the web for a far more comprehensive selection available to download. Alas any image of suitable size can be converted with a simple right-click of the mouse, and then select set as wallpaper. Alternatively, with photo trickery or paint-shop software, you can just create your own!

Themes are one of the best ways to customize your desktop, with wallpaper included. These are themes for your icons, tool-bars and task bar; the OS generally. For example, for me, I found a Windows Vista theme to enhance XP. Who needs to upgrade eh? Again, browse the web for theme downloads. Once downloaded, you should be able to select the theme within appearance and themes.

A more serious way to change the design of your desktop is through Windows Blinds software. This is available as shareware and will require a fee after trial period. It's a great piece of kit that enables you change the desktop design as you see fit; for example, the window designs and task bar.

Widgets are a really good way of adding new features to your desktop. They should not be overlooked as they can be downloaded from the Web as free accessories. They allow you to add desktop accessories like calendars, picture frames, clocks and memory gauger. There are hundreds to choose from. I for one have included Yahoo Widgets on my desktop.

Object Dock, another download, gives you the opportunity to do away with desktop shortcuts and even the task-bar! Really, it is a new type of task-bar that allows you to add shortcuts to the web and OS through it. You simply customize the dock, adding the icons (shortcuts) you want to appear on it to create your very own task-bar. Its appearance makes a refreshing change, and can be customized with special effects. It also shows the programs you are running in small windows, similar to multitasking. I believe this to be perhaps the best enhancement I have mentioned.

So don't forget desktop wallpaper, themes, Windows Blind, Widgets and Object Dock as the means by which you can enhance your desktop. Actually not just enhance, but transform it into something truly creative. Good luck!

Virtually every program code has inputs and outputs. Before compiling a source code, programs generally request an input from the user and then output it to the screen after compiling if the program is well designed and there is no error inside it. Usually, as the program becomes more complicated, error possibility increases. A good software expert easily realizes where the code has faults and corrects it. Since our first code will be very small and very simple, we will not face with any error.

Before starting to write code, we initially have a compiler which is going to evaluate our code. I use Dev C for this. There are many other compilers which run on different platforms like Unix, Linux and Windows.

In this project, we will output the names of the subprograms of Triond on to C terminal screen. This is the simplest algorithm since there is no input in this example. Let's start writing our code step by step.

Step 1: Open the File from the menu bar of C software and save as the blank page Project1. This yields a file with an extension of cpp.

Step 2: Describe the name and aim of the programs. To do so, we use comments. Comments are ignored by the compiler. For commenting, we use some special scripts like double slash or slash-asterisk character .

If we use a single line comment, double slash is enough. However, if our comment is placed more than one line, we use double slash for each line or take the commented part between slash-asterisk and asterisk-slash characters .

Step 3: C needs library files which define what the input and output functions are and what they do when they are used in a code. Iostream is the library file of input and output function.

Before the name of library files, we use a special character, preprocessor directive character. Include is used before the name of every library file and such file names are placed mathematical comparison characters.

Step 4: Every C code uses functions. The default function is main. Main function is the first function compiled by the programs. This function usually calls other functions. Before the name of function, we specify which type of output our code returns. In our program, we think that it returns to integer and use int. After the function name, we use parantheses. In this example, there will be nothing between parantheses but in more complicated programs, there may be parameter names and it's types or definitions. We place our statements between left brace and right brace.

Step 5: To print on to the screen,we use cout function. We simply place our string inside double quote characters. Every statement inside the functions ends with a special semicolon character.

Step 6: To check the validity, we use return function.In this simple example, it returns to 0.

Click here for the code

1. Linux is free. That can almost stand on its own but I'll elaborate on this point a bit. Linux is free to download, customize, use and even redistribute as long as you comply with its licensing caveats in the Gnu Public License (GPL). This one fact makes it thousands of dollars cheaper than any commercial operating system.
2. Linux is very stable. Linux never needs to be rebooted unless you upgrade the kernel (the core of the operating system). You can install or remove software, stop and start any service or peripheral, change network addresses, and just about anything else without a single reboot. Updates are free and automatic and work completely in the background. Linux is a stable multi-user, multi-tasking operating system which means that even your home computer could support dozens of users simultaneously with no affect on its stability.
3. Linux provides you with thousands of useful software packages. Everything from office suites (OpenOffice.org, KOffice, and Lotus SmartSuite) to an Exchange Server compatible Email client (Evolution) to games to the FireFox web browser. Linux has so much free software included with it that, if you had to purchase it all, you probably wouldn't.
4. Linux will run on your old hardware. No more upgrade madness with every new version of the operating system or software suites. Linux is perfectly at home on that old 5 year old computer that you thought you'd have to throw away so you can upgrade to the newest offering from a certain commercial software maker.
5. Linux powers the Internet. It's true. There are more Linux servers that power the world's websites than any other operating system. Linux has traditionally been a server operating system residing in chilly data centers, humming away quietly, while serving millions of web pages to content-hungry web surfers. But Linux isn't just for serving web pages anymore--you can use it as your Desktop computer operating system, on your PDA, or even on your cell phone. You may be using it right now without knowing it.

If you're a beginner with Linux and want to try it out, I suggest looking at Ubuntu Linux--the world's most popular Desktop Linux distribution. No matter which Linux distribution you choose, you may never want do Windows again.

Ken Hess is a freelance technical writer who writes on a variety of open source topics. You may reach him through his website at http://www.kenhess.com.

Alright, maybe they didn't exactly trick me, but I sure hated it after I got it. I suppose some may like it, but I certainly didn't. According to their website, getting rid of it should have been a simple matter of uninstalling the update. It wasn't. I needed support, but after contacting Microsoft I was told that my options were to pay them an exorbitant amount of money for the assistance, or figure it out myself.

This is when a friend of mine entered, and asked me what I was still doing using Windows. "What else am I going to be using? It came with the computer."

He explained as best he could that there are options to using Microsoft products. He told me about an open-source operating system called Ubuntu Linux. I'd never heard of such a thing. Within the day, I had downloaded and installed Ubuntu and I was in love.

First, Ubuntu doesn't have problems with viruses. It may happen from time to time, but I've never gotten one and I've never even heard of a Linux user getting one. For one thing, viruses are usually written for Windows but more importantly, it takes a password to get into the Ubuntu program files. So even if you downloaded a file with a virus, it wouldn't have anywhere to go.

Ubuntu is free. Did you catch that? It's free. You can just go to www.ubuntu.com and download the latest version. Burn it to a DVD and run it. It's a live and install version, so you can load it and try it out without having to install it or you can just install. There are also install options. You can partition your hard-drive for a dual Ubuntu/Windows boot, or do what I did and say goodbye to Windows forever.

Upgrades are free too. If you're running Windows XP and decide you want Vista, you're going to pay a few hundred dollars. Microsoft Office is going to put you back at least a hundred as well. In Ubuntu, none of it costs you a cent. Upgrades come out every six months, and the download is not only free, but simple as well. And, it comes stocked with all the office software you could need, which is compatible with Microsoft Office, for all your co-workers who haven't yet seen the light.

Linux runs faster, too. The operating system only occupies about two gigs on your hard-drive, and only runs what you're using. In fact, the entire OS can be loaded onto a USB flash drive and loaded from that, if your computer is configured to boot from the USB port.

It's compatible with your Palm or iPAQ PDA, and there are several projects that claim to have a solution for syncing with a Blackberry device, although I haven't tried it yet. It also has Bluetooth capability for connectivity with compatible hardware, such as printers.
New software is always available without cost through the Synaptic Package Manager. Everything from games to utilities to word processors and spreadsheets. Whatever you need can be downloaded and installed without having to leave your desk.

As for support, there are endless forums online waiting to help you with whatever issue you may have. An entire community of happy Linux users who have thrown off the shackles of Windows bondage and are more than pleased to assist a fellow open-source user.
If you've been having problems with Windows, I hope you try Ubuntu or any of the various distributions of Linux. Perhaps you'd prefer Linux Mandriva or SUSE. You'll find more than 25 distributions at www.linux.com, and it's certain that one will work for you.

Using Linux Operating System

The Eee doesn't run Windows or the Mac. The operating system that it uses is Linux.

According to a Technology columnist, the Linux can be very confusing in the way that you fix errors or in the way that you interpret some of the messages. With Linux, Firefox, Google, and Open Office all work as you might expect on the Eee. It boots up very quickly. There are no DOS commands for you to use. There is some criticism of the Eee using Linux, but I hear that the Eee is doing well with consumers.

Some people who have never used Linux may be skeptical about using or buying the Eee PC. Though it all sounds great, if you are using Microsoft Office Software, remember Linux is a totally different operating System. The software cannot be used on Linux. You can use Open Office and there will be a Windows version of the Eee. This will be great for those that do not care much for Linux or has never used it. Still, I think Linux should be given a try. This might add more experience to your computer knowledge. The more knowledge that you have about computers, the better it may be. Linux would be a challenge on the Eee for the non-experienced users. It's possible to find some things that you like a bout Linux operating system better than Windows.

The Cost

I think Linux tiny Laptop has started something. One thing that it has me thinking about is the cost. The lower cost is wonderful. I'm sure others think so too. People are starting to focus more on Linux. This might make Windows do some changing. Right now, the Asus is tiny, but it may get bigger with Linux. With it's low cost, some people that could never afford a computer may be able to get one now. I think that the Asus is going to have a great impact on the PC industry. There are charity programs that might consider the Asus for poor children. I think the Eee PC has opened a door for more people to try Linux. It has been said in the past that Microsoft has been forced to offer discounts to avoid losing sales. Even now, Linux seems to be giving Microsoft a great kick in the side.

Linux In the News

Linux also seems to becoming much more powerful and popular in the news. Linux has made it's way to the Eee PC which is something new. I have no doubt in my mind that this will make Linux lead to other things. It is starting to shake up the technology industry. Linux is truly growing. I know that Linus Torvalds (the maker of Linux) is smiling. The name, Linux, has something added to it. News reporters and article writers are starting to recognize Linux as Linux Inc. There are more reports about Linux tiny PC and rumors. There will be even more by the time that I finish this article. I think the Eee PC has really put the icing on the cake. When I heard about the Eee PC running the Linux operating system, I thought, “Linux is not through yet. Linux may be sitting on my desktop one day in the near future.” Since we are starting to hear more bout Linux in the news, Microsoft will have to work even harder. With all of the great news about the Eee PC using Linux, this should make Linux want to do even more.

Opinion

In my opinion, even though it may take some getting use to, Linux will get better. I have heard that Linux is getting easier to use and is improving. I am thinking of trying Linux with this new computer. I think Linux is going to be the next best operating system on the desktop. Though I have never used Linux, it is said that Linux hasn't done much on the desktop. Still, I am hearing more about Linux, and I think Linux is rising up more and more. This is good news that the maker, Asus, has chosen Linux. After this, more makers like Asus might decide to accept Linux operating system. I predict that Linux will be on more desktops along with Windows. There will be lots of competition, if not already, and Linux is becoming a great rival to Windows.

Hardware conflict

The number one reason why Windows crashes is hardware conflict. Each hardware device communicates to other devices through an interrupt request channel (IRQ). These are supposed to be unique for each device.

For example, a printer usually connects internally on IRQ 7. The keyboard usually uses IRQ 1 and the floppy disk drive IRQ 6. Each device will try to hog a single IRQ for itself.

If there are a lot of devices, or if they are not installed properly, two of them may end up sharing the same IRQ number. When the user tries to use both devices at the same time, a crash can happen. The way to check if your computer has a hardware conflict is through the following route:

Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager.

Often if a device has a problem a yellow "!" appears next to its description in the Device Manager. Highlight Computer (in the Device Manager) and press Properties to see the IRQ numbers used by your computer. If the IRQ number appears twice, two devices may be using it.

Sometimes a device might share an IRQ with something described as "IRQ holder for PCI steering". This can be ignored. The best way to fix this problem is to remove the problem device and reinstall it.

Sometimes you may have to find more recent drivers on the internet to make the device function properly. A good resource is Driver Guide. If the device is a soundcard, or a modem, it can often be fixed by moving it to a different slot on the motherboard (be careful about opening your computer, as you may void the warranty).

When working inside a computer you should switch it off, unplug the mains lead and touch an unpainted metal surface to discharge any static electricity.

To be fair to M$, the problem with IRQ numbers is not of its making. It is a legacy problem going back to the first PC designs using the IBM 8086 chip. Initially there were only eight IRQs. Today there are 16 IRQs in a PC. It is easy to run out of them. There are plans to increase the number of IRQs in future designs.

Bad Ram

Ram (random-access memory) problems might bring on the blue screen of death with a message saying Fatal Exception Error. A fatal error indicates a serious hardware problem. Sometimes it may mean a part is damaged and will need replacing.

But a fatal error caused by Ram might be caused by a mismatch of chips. For example, mixing 70-nanosecond (70ns) Ram with 60ns Ram will usually force the computer to run all the Ram at the slower speed. This will often crash the machine if the Ram is overworked.

One way around this problem is to enter the BIOS settings and increase the wait state of the Ram. This can make it more stable. Another way to troubleshoot a suspected Ram problem is to rearrange the Ram chips on the motherboard, or take some of them out. Then try to repeat the circumstances that caused the crash. When handling Ram try not to touch the gold connections, as they can be easily damaged.

Parity error messages also refer to Ram. Modern Ram chips are either parity (ECC) or non parity (non-ECC). It is best not to mix the two types, as this can be a cause of trouble.

EMM386 error messages refer to memory problems but may not be connected to bad Ram. This may be due to free memory problems often linked to old Dos-based programmes.

BIOS settings

Every motherboard is supplied with a range of chipset settings that are decided in the factory. A common way to access these settings is to press the F2 or delete button during the first few seconds of a boot-up.

Once inside the BIOS, great care should be taken. It is a good idea to write down on a piece of paper all the settings that appear on the screen. That way, if you change something and the computer becomes more unstable, you will know what settings to revert to.

A common BIOS error concerns the CAS latency. This refers to the Ram. Older EDO (extended data out) Ram has a CAS latency of 3. Newer SDRam has a CAS latency of 2. Setting the wrong figure can cause the Ram to lock up and freeze the computer's display.

Windows is better at allocating IRQ numbers than any BIOS. If possible set the IRQ numbers to Auto in the BIOS. This will allow Windows to allocate the IRQ numbers (make sure the BIOS setting for Plug and Play OS is switched to "yes" to allow Windows to do this.).

Hard disk drives

After a few weeks, the information on a hard disk drive starts to become piecemeal or fragmented. It is a good idea to defragment the hard disk every week or so, to prevent the disk from causing a screen freeze. Go to

Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-Disk Defragmenter

This will start the procedure. You will be unable to write data to the hard drive (to save it) while the disk is defragmenting, so it is a good idea to schedule the procedure for a period of inactivity using the Task Scheduler.

The Task Scheduler should be one of the small icons on the bottom right of the Windows' opening page (the desktop).

Some lockups and screen freezes caused by hard disk problems can be solved by reducing the read-ahead optimisation. This can be adjusted by going to

Start-Settings-Control Panel-System Icon-Performance-File System-Hard Disk.

Hard disks will slow down and crash if they are too full. Do some housekeeping on your hard drive every few months and free some space on it. Open the Windows folder on the C drive and find the Temporary Internet Files folder. Deleting the contents (not the folder) can free a lot of space.

Empty the Recycle Bin every week to free more space. Hard disk drives should be scanned every week for errors or bad sectors. Go to

Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-ScanDisk

Otherwise assign the Task Scheduler to perform this operation at night when the computer is not in use.

Fatal OE exceptions and VXD errors

Fatal OE exception errors and VXD errors are often caused by video card problems.

These can often be resolved easily by reducing the resolution of the video display. Go to

Start-Settings-Control Panel-Display-Settings

Here you should slide the screen area bar to the left. Take a look at the colour settings on the left of that window. For most desktops, high colour 16-bit depth is adequate.

If the screen freezes or you experience system lockups it might be due to the video card. Make sure it does not have a hardware conflict. Go to

Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager

Here, select the + beside Display Adapter. A line of text describing your video card should appear. Select it (make it blue) and press properties. Then select Resources and select each line in the window. Look for a message that says No Conflicts.

If you have video card hardware conflict, you will see it here. Be careful at this point and make a note of everything you do in case you make things worse.

The way to resolve a hardware conflict is to un-check the Use Automatic Settings box and hit the Change Settings button. You are searching for a setting that will display a No Conflicts message.

Another useful way to resolve video problems is to go to

Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Performance-Graphics

Here you should move the Hardware Acceleration slider to the left. As ever, the most common cause of problems relating to graphics cards is old or faulty drivers (a driver is a small piece of software used by a computer to communicate with a device).

Look up your video card's manufacturer on the internet and search for the most recent drivers for it.

Viruses

Often the first sign of a virus infection is instability. Some viruses erase the boot sector of a hard drive, making it impossible to start. This is why it is a good idea to create a Windows start-up disk. Go to

Start-Settings-Control Panel-Add/Remove Programs

Here, look for the Start Up Disk tab. Virus protection requires constant vigilance.

A virus scanner requires a list of virus signatures in order to be able to identify viruses. These signatures are stored in a DAT file. DAT files should be updated weekly from the website of your anti-virus software manufacturer.

Printers

The action of sending a document to print creates a bigger file, often called a postscript file.

Printers have only a small amount of memory, called a buffer. This can be easily overloaded. Printing a document also uses a considerable amount of CPU power. This will also slow down the computer's performance.

If the printer is trying to print unusual characters, these might not be recognised, and can crash the computer. Sometimes printers will not recover from a crash because of confusion in the buffer. A good way to clear the buffer is to unplug the printer for ten seconds. Booting up from a powerless state, also called a cold boot, will restore the printer's default settings and you may be able to carry on.

Software

A common cause of computer crash is faulty or badly-installed software. Often the problem can be cured by uninstalling the software and then reinstalling it. Use Norton Uninstall or Uninstall Shield to remove an application from your system properly. This will also remove references to the programme in the System Registry and leaves the way clear for a completely fresh copy.

The System Registry can be corrupted by old references to obsolete software that you thought was uninstalled. Use Reg Cleaner by Jouni Vuorio to clean up the System Registry and remove obsolete entries. It works on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE (Second Edition), Windows Millennium Edition (ME), NT4 and Windows 2000.

Read the instructions and use it carefully so you don't do permanent damage to the Registry. If the Registry is damaged you will have to reinstall your operating system. Reg Cleaner can be obtained from JV 16.

Often a Windows problem can be resolved by entering Safe Mode. This can be done during start-up. When you see the message “Starting Windows” press F4. This should take you into Safe Mode.

Safe Mode loads a minimum of drivers. It allows you to find and fix problems that prevent Windows from loading properly.

Sometimes installing Windows is difficult because of unsuitable BIOS settings. If you keep getting SUWIN error messages (Windows setup) during the Windows installation, then try entering the BIOS and disabling the CPU internal cache. Try to disable the Level 2 (L2) cache if that doesn't work.

Remember to restore all the BIOS settings back to their former settings following installation.

Overheating

Central processing units (CPUs) are usually equipped with fans to keep them cool. If the fan fails or if the CPU gets old it may start to overheat and generate a particular kind of error called a kernel error. This is a common problem in chips that have been over-clocked to operate at higher speeds than they are supposed to.

One remedy is to get a bigger better fan and install it on top of the CPU.

CPU problems can often be fixed by disabling the CPU internal cache in the BIOS. This will make the machine run more slowly, but it should also be more stable.

Power supply problems

With all the new construction going on around the country the steady supply of electricity has become disrupted. A power surge or spike can crash a computer as easily as a power cut.

If this has become a nuisance for you then consider buying a uninterrupted power supply (UPS). This will give you a clean power supply when there is electricity, and it will give you a few minutes to perform a controlled shutdown in case of a power cut.